Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

Making heads turn
Actor Karisma Kapoor and choreographer Remo D'Souza can scarcely believe the stunt that one of the participants pulls off at the sets of a dance reality show, in Goregaon on Monday. Pic/Sameer Markande

Musical magic
The stage was set for magic, literally. This diarist hadn't slept a wink before a dawn concert at Jodhpur RIFF, a folk music festival held over the weekend, with the night before ending on the dance floor around 4 am. So, it's but natural that listening to the lilting sounds of the khamaicha just over an hour later, he drifted off to sleep on the terrace venue, his head resting on a pillow, his body horizontal. But his eyes opened in only a few moments, when the next song had started. He sat up to listen, as if the music had drawn him up from bed. And once it finished, the Rajasthani folk singer who had recited it informed the audience that this is the very tune that Krishna's mother would sing to rise him from sleep every morning, and that it's meant to awaken people even today. The coincidence was a bit too spooky for the diarist to bear, and so he put his head down on the pillow again.

Roaring success for a wildlife photographer
Shivang Mehta quit his corporate job to pursue wildlife photography, and went on to become a reputable artist. And while working on his book, A Decade with Tigers, Mehta captured a riveting image of a semi-adult tiger on the hunt.

The picture recently won the Pangea Award at the Siena International Photo Award, 2018, which sees the highest number of international entries each year. So, quitting that job worked out rather well, it seems.

A high honour
Congratulations are in order for Ila Arun. In recognition of her work in promoting Norwegian culture in India, the theatre personality and folk singer will be awarded The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit on November 2. Arun, who started engaging with the country's theatre through her adaptations of iconic playwright Henrik Ibsen's plays in 2010, has been organising the Ibsen festival in Mumbai since 2014. The process continues, and next year, her adaptation of Hedda Gabler will be staged under the title of Hardeep Kaur Gill in Mumbai.

Sushmita Sen with her daughters, Renee (centre) and Alisah

Mum knows best for Sush's kids
Here's one reason why we feel Sushmita Sen is a model parent. The actor recently put up a video on social media of her daughter, Renee, performing morning riyaz with her Guruji. Sush's rumoured beau, Rohman Shawl, is accompanying Renee in it. Both of them are singing an Indian classical tune, more than holding their own while at it. And the video ends with the actor panning her camera to capture her other daughter, Alisah, sitting on a sofa early in the morning and clapping in encouragement once the song finishes. "How cool is that!" Sush says, before hitting the "stop" button. "Very cool indeed," is what we want to tell her.

An author reveals her cover story
After making a stop in Bali for a literary festival this week, the Chennai-based poet, journalist and dancer Tishani Doshi announced the release of her new novel on a social media platform. The book, Small Days and Nights, will be published by Bloomsbury next year. Doshi received the card at the festival itself, as evident in the caption. "Imagine the glee as I'm passed this little card before going on stage for a poetry event at the Ubud Writer's Festival - hey, this looks familiar, I think - and here it is - all very official - the cover of my next novel! See how the dogs have finagled their way here too (sic)!" But we know what you're thinking - trust an author to use the word "finagled" in a caption.

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